Wednesday, April 30, 2014

'Extant' Trailer: Halle Berry Returns From Space, and She's Not Alone (VIDEO)

halle barry extant

After seeing "Gravity," it felt like the scariest part about space was being alone. Turns out, it's creepier to realize you're not.



That's the premise of the first trailer for the CBS event series "Extant," which is produced by Steven Spielberg and stars Halle Berry. The Oscar winner plays astronaut Molly Woods, who returns from a 13-month solo mission to discover she's pregnant. By whom? (Or should we say what?)



As the government starts snooping around her life, her young son starts saying some very strange things. Regarding a drawing he made, he says, "I put the family in the spaceship so they'd be safe ... from extinction."



CBS clearly is a fan of these sci-fi summer event series, and no wonder - "Under the Dome" performed very well for them last year. If "Extant" can do the same, the kid won't have to worry about extinction.



"Extant" premieres Wednesday, July 9.













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Hugh Jackman Is '99.9% Sure' the Next Wolverine Movie Will Be His Last

hugh jackman wolverine

We're less than a month away from the next installment in the "X-Men" franchise, so naturally it's a great time to start talking about the next installment of an "X-Men" spin-off, right? Hugh Jackman is game to chat about the future of Wolverine, but he's not making any promises.



Jackman sat down with SFX magazine to talk about "X-Men: Days of Future Past," and the subject of last summer's "Wolverine" came up. We've all been assuming that a sequel to James Mangold's "Wolverine" was in the bag since it was such a success -- and because Mangold and Jackman haven't been shy about talking about the possibilities of a sequel. However, "I'm excited to see what we can come up with, but I haven't signed on. I'm genuinely at that point where unless it's better than the last one I'm not going to do it."



Mangold is still developing the project with Jackman, but the star remains cagey. "If I did another one I'm 99.9% sure it would be the last, so that will inform what it is for me," he said. And it's got to be even better than the last "Wolverine" to get him to sign on the dotted line.



"I think it has to be better," Jackman said. "I can still see where we can improve on the last one. I love the intimacy of that story, I liked the small stuff, I liked that it was a little unexpected." Truth be told, that's what snagged the attention of audiences, who were a little wary of a stand-alone "Wolverine" after the 2009 film. Now that they've gotten a taste, they want more -- but will Jackman give it to them?



[via Slashfilm]



Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images





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Top 5 Car Maintenance Tips To Do Before the Phoenix Summer Hits

Top 5 Car Maintenance Tips To Do Before the Phoenix Summer Hits Here in Phoenix Arizona, temperatures are on the rise. Is your car ready to take on the blistering summer heat? You’ll want to be certain that it is...



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'Star Wars: Episode VII' Is Still Looking for a Second Lead Actress

star wars episode vii second lead actressYesterday brought us big "Star Wars" news -- the announcement of the cast of "Star Wars: Episode VII." But it seems that director J.J. Abrams isn't completely done with casting yet.



Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Abrams is still searching for another female lead alongside Daisy Ridley. That makes a lot of sense, as Ridley was the only woman in the list of new cast members, including John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaacs, and Max von Sydow. (Carrie Fisher will be reprising her role as Princess Leia.)



THR had earlier reported that Abrams wanted to find a mixed-race actress in her 20s and noted that the director met with Oscar nominee Lupita Nyong'o a few months ago. And as we noted when the cast announcement came out, Maisie Richardson-Sellers wasn't part of it, but has been rumored to be up for a role.



We'll find out soon enough as filming begins this month. "Star Wars: Episode VII" is due in theaters December 2015.





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New DVD Blu-ray: 'Labor Day,' 'Sophie's Choice,' and More


new dvd blu-ray



Moviefone's Top DVD of the Week

"Escape from Tomorrow"

What's It About? A trip to the House of Mouse becomes a surreal nightmare for a father of two.

Why We're IN: Filmed secretly on location at Disney World and Disneyland, "Escape from Tomorrow" is creepier than "It's a Small World."



Moviefone's Top Blu-ray of the Week

"Il Sorpasso" (Criterion)

What's It About? A wild bachelor and an uptight law student go on a road trip for the ages in this adored Italian comedy.

Why We're IN: It's been spiffed up and digitally restored, and even the subtitles got a makeover. Plus, there are all the Criterion bells and whistles we know and love.



New on DVD and Blu-ray

"Bad Country"

What's It About? Willem Dafoe and Matt Dillon star as a cop and a criminal who are forced to work together to bring down an even bigger baddie. Neal McDonough, who freaked everyone out in "Justified," co-stars

IN or OUT: Out.



"The Best Offer"

What's It About? An antiques dealer (Geoffrey Rush) doesn't particularly like dealing with people, and his latest client is a young woman who's definitely a pain in the keister. Will her weird ways teach this old dog new tricks?

IN or OUT: This arty drama/thriller charmed critics, though it didn't get much of a theatrical release. Hitchcock fans might want to check it out.



"Devil's Due"

What's It About? Something weird happened on Zach and Samantha McCall's honeymoon, and nine months later, Samantha's pregnancy seems anything but normal.

IN or OUT: More found footage horror? Now that's a scary idea.



"Gimme Shelter"

What's It About? Sadly, this is not the classic Rolling Stones doc by the Maysles' brothers. Disney starlet Vanessa Hudgens gets tough to play a pregnant, homeless teen with an abusive mother (Rosario Dawson). Luckily, James Earl Jones is there in non-Vader garb as a guy who helps her find her way into a shelter and a better future.

IN or OUT: Out.



"Labor Day"

What's It About? Josh Brolin stars as a prison escapee named Frank who seeks refuge with an agoraphobic woman named Adele (Kate Winslet) and her son Henry (Gattlin Griffith). Frank fixes things around the house and cooks for them while he's avoiding authorities and holding them hostage over Labor Day weekend. He also manages to make baking a peach pie look sexy.

IN or OUT: This tepid love affair will leave you hungry.



"The Legend of Hercules"

What's It About? Greek myth gets the "Twilight" touch with Kellan Lutz as the muscle-bound hero Hercules. Directed by Renny Harlin of "Deep Blue Sea" infamy.

IN or OUT: Out, unless you're just looking for some laughs.



New on Blu-ray

"Gamera: Ultimate Collection" (Vol. 1 and 2)

What's It About? The crazy turtle-like Kaiju from Daiei Studios destroys a whole lot of stuff in these eight (EIGHT!) films. Volume 1 is the first four films in the Gamera series, and Volume 2 is the last four.

IN or OUT: If you love this fireball-spitting turtle monster, you'll want in.



"Sophie's Choice" (Collector's Choice)

What's It About? If you haven't seen this classic tearjerker that won Meryl Streep her first Oscar, we can't help you.

IN or OUT: There aren't a ton of extras to recommend this as a fancy collector's edition, but it's a great movie to add to your collection.



"The Wind and the Lion"

What's It About? Warner Bros. open up their archives for this exciting action/adventure story about a woman who is kidnapped in Morocco. Sarring Candice Bergen, John Huston, and Sean Connery.

IN or OUT: This isn't writer/director John Milius's finest or most well-known work (that would probably be his script for "Apocalypse Now," although he also wrote and directed "Conan the Barbarian" and "Red Dawn"), but it's still an enjoyable ride.



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Is a 'Joe Dirt' Sequel in the Works? Sort Of.

joe dirt sequel

When their participants are on point, Reddit AMAs can be hilarious and insightful, gut-wrenching, awesome, or freaky. David Spade did an AMA this morning, and he was surprisingly game to discuss anything from the Razzie Awards to skateboarding accidents and the late Chris Farley. Also, that "a lot of people have sweaty hands, and when they come up to me it's like shaking hands with a sham-wow."



What seemed to get him talking the most was "Joe Dirt," the 2001 movie about a radio station janitor whose life stories mesmerize audiences and turn him into a star. "Joe Dirt" played on some rather tasteless class tropes, not the least of which was Spade's majestic mullet wig. In any case, one Redditor asked about a possible sequel, which Spade was all too eager to discuss.



"We wrote a sequel, and we may wind up doing it on Crackle.com, because they want to be the first web address to do a sequel to a movie. Because Sony owns them, and it's a Sony movie. We're trying to find a way to make it for the budget, but we really want to do it. And keep it good."



Spade added, "I would ask Christopher Walken and Kid Rock to be in it again. And to take less money, if at all possible, than the amount they took the first time." Well, sure. Why not?



The real question is what happened to Joe's magnificent mullet. Spade revealed, "The Joe Dirt wig was itchy. And one time, I walked away from the set at a TV studio when we were doing some Dennis Miller stuff, and I got lost, and I had my janitor's uniform on, and the security guard wouldn't let me back into where I was supposed to go, and I didn't have a cell phone, so I had to sit there for 15 minutes until some PA came to look for me, and I had to explain to them that I was dressed as a janitor with a wig on, and that was an actual story, that sounds fake but it was funny to me. Long story short: I loved the wig, I thought it was hilarious, it was hard to wear all summer but it cracks me up. I think it's in some vault somewhere in the Smithsonian right now, surrounded by guards."



"Joe Dirt 2: Night at the Smithsonian"?



And what about all those Razzies? Well, Spade has a pretty zen attitude about them. "I think they go after Adam a lot on purpose, to try to drum up some attention, like Jack & Jill nominating him for actor & actress, that's like a mean trick by the Razzies to try to get more press for their own organization. But most of my favorite people have won Razzies, so I'm not that worried about it."



[Via Filmdrunk]





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Diane Keaton Is Really Bad at Beer Pong. Or Is She? (VIDEO)

diane keaton jimmy fallon beer pongThat Jimmy Fallon is such a rascal! Last night he was up to his old "Tonight Show" tricks with Diane Keaton, whom he'd engaged in a beer pong battle. Actually, make that a red wine pong battle. With ice.



The thing with booze pong is winning means the other person is "forced" to drink, which makes us wonder who the real winner is in that situation. Keaton, who was barefoot and wearing a snappy bowler, sussed this out pretty quickly and spent most of the time throwing ping pong balls at Fallon and drinking the wine. Smart lady.



Keaton is out promoting her new book "Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty," which deals with beauty and bucking the Hollywood system. It also has quite a bit about the beautiful men she's loved, from Warren Beatty to Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson. She told More, "I have a list of all the men I've kissed... The only one I've missed, really, is Matthew McConaughey." Alright, etc.



Keaton's next film, "And So It Goes," pairs her with another Hollywood legend, Michael Douglas. The Rob Reiner comedy is about a cranky real estate agent (Douglas, natch) who's suddenly saddled with the role of grandpa after his son heads to jail. Keaton plays a lounge singer and love interest who lives next door. Reiner told USA Today, "She actually does like the bad boys... She likes a guy who is a little rough around the edges." And so it goes, indeed.





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'Mean Girls': Why the Tina Fey Comedy is Still the Best Modern Teen Movie


mean girls



To celebrate today's 10th anniversary of "Mean Girls," everyone should do what I did last night and rewatch the hilarious high-school flick (it's currently available to stream just about everywhere, but I admit to owning it on DVD). There's a reason we're making a big deal about the biting comedy's decade mark. In the 10 years since "Mean Girls" was released, no other realistic teen comedy (meaning not the ones about magical orphans, sparkling vampires, or dystopian warriors) has come close to becoming as much a cultural touchstone as the Tina Fey-penned, Mark Waters-directed classic.



Waters, who in the ensuing decade has directed or produced seven films, including "500 Days of Summer," "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," and "Vampire Academy," told Moviefone that he thinks the reason "Mean Girls" still resonates with audiences is that essentially the high-school experience is the same one generation to the next. "The big theme of 'Mean Girls' is that in high school you feel like you're in a battle you have to survive every single day," Waters said. "It only takes a year or two to realize that's not the way life actually is, but while you're in it, it's a deadly, overwhelming feeling."



But of course, that battleground mentality is just a metaphor, because if you depict high school life too earnestly, it will backfire, Waters says, recalling how many teen-targeted movies (particularly adaptations) have failed, "because they suffer from that dreadful sincerity and taking themselves too seriously."



Part of an elite slate of high-school comedies that have gone the distance ("Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Clueless," "Heathers," "The Breakfast Club"), "Mean Girls" isn't a shallow raunch-fest about losing your virginity or scoring booze for party or a cliché melodrama about all the feels of an angst-ridden junior year. "Mean Girls" is as smart as it is funny, with subversive and feminist commentary that demands multiple viewings to fully appreciate (I for one, think the Calculus scene between Cady and Aaron -- "Wrong, wrong, so wrong... Thanks, I get it now" -- should be required viewing for intelligent girls who feel the need to "dumb it down" for a guy).



Waters admits that, of course, the movie has (slightly) exaggerated representations of high-school life, like the cliques ("if you break the rules, you can't sit with us anymore") and the cafeteria's social hierarchy (JV Jocks, Asian Nerds, Cool Asians, Varsity Jocks, Unfriendly Black Hotties, Sexually Active Band Geeks, etc.) and the whole "Girlworld" idea of Halloween ("lingerie and some sort of animal ears"). But Waters wisely concludes that that's part of the "Mean Girls" legacy: "It's very stylized, over-the-top humor, but that's the enduring appeal: audiences know -- or remember -- that this is exactly how high school goes down. It's turbulent and exciting, while you're in it."



It's easy to look back and examine why "Mean Girls" is better than the countless forgettable teen comedies that come and go each year (OK, we'll give you "Easy A," but you won't find a critical mass quoting "Fun Size" or "The Virginity Hit" or "Geography Club" any time soon... or ever), but back in 2004, Waters insists that he and Fey had no idea "Mean Girls" was going to be such a huge hit for a subsequent generation of audiences. "We honestly just wanted to make something that was for us and weren't trying to please anyone else but ourselves," he said. "But I love that it's this emblematic movie that speaks to anyone who remembers the sting of high school... and can laugh about it."



The authenticity, the performances, the witty dialogue, the well-developed secondary characters -- there are so many reasons to love "Mean Girls." But we hope in 2024, there will be another Big Teen Comedy to commemorate. That would be Fetch.







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Bob Hoskins Dead at Age 71


English actor Bob Hoskins attends the wo



(AP) - British actor Bob Hoskins, whose varied career ranged from noir drama "Mona Lisa" to animated fantasy "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" has died aged 71.



A family statement released Wednesday by agent Clair Dobbs said Hoskins died in a hospital after a bout of pneumonia.



A versatile character actor capable of menace, quiet poignancy and Cockney charm, London-raised Hoskins appeared in some of the most acclaimed British films of the past few decades, including gangster classic "The Long Good Friday."



He specialized in tough guys with a soft center, including the ex-con who chaperones Cathy Tyson's escort in Neil Jordan's 1986 film "Mona Lisa." Hoskins was nominated for a best-actor Academy Award for the role.



His Hollywood breakthrough came as a detective investigating cartoon crime in the part-animated 1988 hit "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." He also played the pirate Smee in Steven Spielberg's 1991 Peter Pan movie "Hook."



In 2012 Hoskins announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and was retiring from acting.



His last role was as one of the seven dwarves in "Snow White & The Huntsman," starring Kristen Stewart.



"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob," said a statement from wife Linda and children Alex, Sarah, Rosa and Jack.







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2014 Summer Movies: 12 Must-See Alternatives to Hollywood Blockbusters

Indie Movies 2014

Imagine if the summer was truly owned by Hollywood blockbusters. Like, exclusively.



Every weekend, from now through August, would see the release of only movies about superheroes and demigods and giant robots and giant monsters and giant animated dragons, with the occasional star-studded comedy thrown in for an alternative option here and there.



Fortunately, that's not the case. There's plenty of counter-programming happening over the next four months for those of us who want something besides all the big sequels and sci-fi flicks. If there's anything released by the studios you want to avoid, there's sure to be another film worth seeing.



Below are our 12 most anticipated independent releases for this summer, and don't worry if you think you live somewhere that, at first, seems exclusively owned by the blockbusters: While many of the following films open theatrically in limited release, some of them will be available via Video On Demand either simultaneously or soon after. (Those we know about have been noted).



Article photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight



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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal Honor Rob Reiner With Surprise Reunion (PHOTO)

meg ryan billy crystal

"When Harry Met Sally..." stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan staged a brief reunion of the classic rom-com Monday night in honor of director Rob Reiner, who was awarded the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Chaplin Award.



Crystal and Ryan were just two of a host of stars who came out to celebrate Reiner, including Michael Douglas, Martin Scorsese, and James Caan. But it was Crystal and Ryan's reunion that had most people talking, since "Harry," their most iconic collaboration, is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary this summer.



Ryan surprised Crystal on stage as he talked about working with Reiner, and the pair reminisced about the film and their characters, speculating that Harry would still be working as a political consultant, most likely for new New York City mayor Bill de Blasio.



According to The Hollywood Reporter, "During their time on stage, Crystal and Ryan recalled shooting the movie's infamous fake-orgasm scene. After multiple takes, Ryan was still struggling to get it right, so Reiner sat down opposite Crystal and demonstrated what she should be doing, ferociously pounding the table, the two recalled, with Crystal joking that it made him a little excited."



In an interview with THR before the ceremony, Crystal also revealed that several key moments from Harry and Sally's relationship -- like the pair chatting on the phone while watching "Casablanca" on cable together -- were inspired by real stories from Crystal and Reiner's long friendship.



"That was so personal to us, because many of the things that Harry and Sally did in the movie, Rob and I did as friends, which we just talked about and Nora [Ephron] was able to work into the script," Crystal said. "That bonding was very much Rob and I."



We think it's beyond sweet that Reiner and Crystal's real-life bromance inspired an onscreen romance. Here's hoping that we don't have to wait another 25 years for more heartwarming "Harry" stories like that one to emerge.



Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images





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'The Fault in Our Stars' Author Says Shailene Woodley Is the Perfect Hazel

fault in our stars author john green

Anyone who's read "The Fault in Our Stars," the YA book sensation that's become one of this summer's most anticipated movie releases, probably had strong feelings about who should be cast to play protagonist Hazel in the inevitable film adaptation. Now, "Fault" author John Green has revealed that he was among those determined to see the right actress in the role, and that he loves filmmakers' ultimate selection of Shailene Woodley for the part.



In a lengthy interview with Vulture, Green mentioned was able to see Woodley's audition tape, with producers promising the author that he was "going to love it." Green admitted that he was skeptical of such high praise, but after watching the actress, he was indeed blown away -- and wanted to make sure Woodley got the part no matter what.



"[I]t was perfect," he said. "It was Hazel. She sounded like Hazel. She had the cadence that I imagined in my head as I was writing Hazel, which seemed impossible to me. And that continued the entire time we were on set. Every sentence that she said sounded like Hazel to me."



Green continued:

She clearly had a deep, innate understanding of this person. The way she breathed. The places she paused. And you know, Hazel is an uncommonly empathetic young person. She's able to imagine what her parents must be feeling. And I think that came naturally for Shailene. I think that's a big part of why ... I mean, she's a genius, but it's also the empathy. And I called [the producers] back, and I said, "Is there anything I can do to help make sure she takes the part?" Like, "Should I call her? Who do I need to talk to, to close this deal?"



The author also revealed that, in a strange coincidence, Woodley had actually emailed him about a year prior to auditioning for the movie, advocating to land the role, establishing a connection to the character that Green said clearly carried over to the big screen.



As for how the "Fault" movie keeps the book's tear-jerking vibe intact, Green told Vulture that he was on set for most of production, and teared up during every take he watched.



"I got a lot of sh-t, because every time they called, 'Cut!' they would look over at me, and I would be crying," he said. "But it was sad! It was moving! It was beautiful! They did a great job. I hope you like it."



"The Fault in Our Stars" opens on June 6.





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Emma Stone's 'Tonight Show' Lip-Sync Battle Wins All Lip-Sync Battles (VIDEO)

emma stone tonight show lip syncWe've seen her sing Spice Girls songs and freak out over her musical idols, but Emma Stone kicked her awesome quotient up a notch Monday night during an epic lip sync battle with late night host Jimmy Fallon.



Stone, who stopped by "The Tonight Show" to promote her part in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," proved once again that she's game for anything by agreeing to a lip syncing showdown with Fallon. Each performed two songs, and while Fallon was impressive as usual, Stone simply knocked it out of the park with her selections.



We'll let the video of the actress speak for itself, but suffice it to say, her completely committed, over-the-top theatrical performances of Blue Traveler's "Hook" and DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win" are pure joy personified.



Count her among the celebs we'd most like to get a beer (and do some karaoke) with.





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Robert Downey Jr. Can't Stop Tweeting Amazing 'Avengers 2' Photos

robert downey jr avengers 2 photo

Just as we hoped, Robert Downey Jr.'s foray into social media is quickly becoming a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes glimpses at the making of "Avengers: Age of Ultron," with the actor's latest shared images featuring some of his fellow superheroes.



Last week, after tweeting a photo of himself with "Avengers" producer Jeremy Latcham, Downey also shared a snap of empty chairs assigned to each of his co-Avengers: Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Mark Ruffalo. On Sunday, Iron Man was at it again, this time getting his co-stars' faces in the frame.

The New York Daily News reports that the photo was taken at the Petersham Nurseries garden restaurant, located in the London suburb of Richmond. Downey was joined for dinner by a large group that included Latcham, "Avengers" director Joss Whedon, Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Hemsworth and his wife, Elsa Pataky, and Johansson and her fiance, Romain Dauriac. Sadly, only Ruffalo's shoulder made it into the photo.



It's nice to see the cast and crew bonding together, and of course, amps up excitement for them to get to work. They're set to shoot much of "Ultron"'s principal photography in London, while other action will be filmed in Seoul, South Korea; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Aosta Valley, Italy.



Our fingers are crossed that stars Renner, Cobie Smulders, and James Spader will make an appearance on Downey's Twitter feed soon.



"Avengers: Age of Ultron" is due out on May 1, 2015.



[via Robert Downey Jr., h/t Uproxx]





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Tony Awards 2014: Nominees Include Neil Patrick Harris, Bryan Cranston

The 2014 Tony Awards Nominations CeremonyAre Tony voters secretly fans of TV and animated musicals? Or are TV and movie actors infiltrating Broadway in a rather standout way these days?



Perhaps the raddest nomination goes to former child actor Neil Patrick Harris for his performance as Hedwig in the revival of the gender-bending, glittery, glam rock musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." We weren't sure anyone could fill John Cameron Mitchell's wig, but NPH is killing it on Broadway as the lovelorn East German whose gender reassignment surgery went horribly awry.



Meanwhile, Bryan Cranston grew out his hair and traded the meth lab for the White House as LBJ in "All the Way." He's up against Chris O'Dowd, who snagged a nomination for his performance of bunny-loving Lennie in "Of Mice and Men." Who'd have thunk the former "IT Crowd" funnyman would one day be playing a Steinbeck character? Gosh, he'll never have to ask anyone if they've tried turning it off and on again.



Other notable noms include Idina Menzel for her role in "If/Then." Although younger audiences might know her from "Frozen," she's been a Broadway favorite since her debut in "Rent." Menzel won a Tony for her role as Elphaba in "Wicked," and was nominated for her role in "Rent." Maybe someday she'll be reprising her role as Elsa in a Broadway adaptation of "Frozen"!



Meanwhile, Anika Noni Rose is nominated for her performance in "A Raisin in the Sun." This Broadway acclaim surely doesn't mean she's abandoning her movie career, though. Noni Rose is starring in the upcoming film "Half of a Yellow Sun," and she recently told The Guardian, "I'd like to ride a damn dragon!" Hollywood, get this woman a damn dragon!



Read the full list of nominees here.



Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions



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Jamie Foxx Completely Takes Over, and We Love It (VIDEO)

jamie foxx unscripted

It was just another normal day at Moviefone. Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, and Jamie Foxx were on hand to answer questions from you, our beloved Moviefone readers, when Foxx took over hosting duties. This video actually goes on much longer than our normal Unscripted segments, because it was just so darn funny.



"These Unscripted things are like the bane of my existence," Garfield yelps. But why? This is awesome! Watch Stone and Foxx give Spidey a hard time about his American accent, the stars slip up about their off-screen romance, something about TMZ harassing actors, Garfield's dad, and so much more. Thank goodness that Jamie Foxx prays to the comedy gods. Whatever he's doing it's working.



"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" opens May 2 -- this Friday!



When you're done watching Jamie Foxx being Jamie Foxx, watch our amazingly funny original "Amazing Spider-Man 2" Unscripted. You won't be sorry.







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Wolverine Dead? Marvel Comics to Kill Off 'X-Men' Hero


Disney XD's



Wolverine is set to retract his adamantium claws for the last time when Marvel Comics kills the "X-Men" anti-hero in an upcoming series.



Logan will be robbed of his mutant healing powers in an issue to come this summer, a development that will set the stage for "Death of Wolverine," a four-part miniseries that will hit shelves in September, Entertainment Weekly reported.



Marvel executive editor Michael Marts revealed to the magazine that writers decided to kill him off after gathering at the company's semi-annual creative retreat.



"For a long time, no matter who Wolverine was battling, he's been the eternal victor," Marts said.



"Now he finally comes up against an adversary that he cannot win against, he cannot fight. What does that mean for this character who's been around for a hundred years?"



Without his healing power, Wolverine's story is set to become "pretty brutal," writer Charles Soule told Marvel.com.



"His villains have never really been about pulling their punches, and Logan takes some punishment here," he said.



"I want to show the physical cost of Wolverine doing what he does. It's never been very nice, but here it gets downright ugly."



death of wolverine



This wouldn't be the first time that a major comic book character has been killed off, The Toronto Sun reported. Marvel killed Captain America in 2008, while DC Comics' Superman died in a battle with Doomsday in a 1992 issue.



Wolverine's death would mark a huge blow to Canada's cred in the comic book universe. Logan is one of the most popular characters who hails from the Great White North, alongside Johnny Canuck and Captain Canuck. The character has been at the center of numerous successful film franchises, starting with the "X-Men" movies in 2000 and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" in 2009.



He will next appear on screen in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," which is being released on May 23.



Wolverine's final adventures are being announced just as DC Comics rolls out Justice League United, a series whose action revolves primarily around events that range from northern Ontario to the cosmos.



DC is introducing Equinox, a First Nation superhero, as part of the series.







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Who Is Daisy Ridley? Meet the New 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Actress (PHOTO)

daisy ridley star wars episode vii

Who is Daisy Ridley, aside from being the only other woman currently listed as a cast member on "Star Wars: Episode VII"?



Carrie Fisher is returning to reprise her role as Princess Leia, which makes Ridley the only female newcomer so far. Whether or not she snagged the part of Ben Kenobi's bad-ass Jedi descendant isn't clear, but so far that's the only female character we've heard about. That's the role that also-unknown Maisie Richardson-Sellers was in the running for, but she didn't make the final list of cast members.



Ridley only started acting last year, beginning with guest roles on British TV shows like "Youngers" and "Mr Selfridge." There's so little information on the newcomer that we've been forced to dig up her agent's website to get some details. So far, there's not a lot. She's set to appear in the sequel to "The Inbetweeners," a movie based on the Channel 4 sitcom. She's also in "Scrawl," a British horror movie that used Indigogo to raise some funds. The creators describe it as "'Big' meets 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.'"



You can get a look at Daisy in action in the video below. Soon enough, we'll know allllll about the up-and-comer. She'll probably even have her own Wikipedia page by the end of the day.







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Who Is John Boyega? Meet the New 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Actor (PHOTO)

john boyega star wars episode viiIt's time to get up close and person with our future favorite Jedi, John Boyega, the new face of "Star Wars: Episode VII."



Boyega is most famous for his role as Moses in "Attack the Block," which was also his first feature film. Moses is one of the teens who live on a South London council estate that's attacked by aliens. The first time we meet Moses and his pals, they're attempting to rob a young nurse named Samantha (Jodie Whittaker), but later they all rally and work together to fight the weirdo critters trying to take over their block.



Moses is the quiet leader of this criminally inclined crew of teens, but he eventually becomes the hero of our story. You might need subtitles for this awesome indie sci-fi -- the British slang comes fast and furious -- but it's good fun. "Attack the Block" is Joe Cornish's first feature-length film. Its funky creature effects, humor, and cool soundtrack won over festival audiences around the world. Edgar Wright is one of its many exec producers. Nick Frost, who appears in Wright's "Cornetto Trilogy," plays a greasy drug dealer named Ron.



Boyega's performance as Moses is the role that snagged the attention of folks in Hollywood. It's only taken about three years for Boyega to go from buzzed-about Brit to a leading man in an epic franchise. He's also in the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's book "Half of a Yellow Sun," alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, and Anika Noni Rose. Boyega was set to star in "Da Brick," a drama that would have been directed by Spike Lee and written by John Ridley, with Lee, Ridley, Mike Tyson, and Doug Ellin on board as producers, but HBO passed on the project. Meanwhile, he's is attached to play Olympic athlete Jesse Owens in an upcoming biopic that's supposed to start shooting in May.



Initially, Boyega wasn't too psyched on the idea of "Attack the Block." He told Interview, "I got the call from agent about the film, which was an alien attack in London... I thought that was incredible crap." Then he read the script... and the rest is history.





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'Star Wars: Episode VII' Cast Announced

star wars episode vii castJJ Abrams is killing us with this slow trickle of "Star Wars: Episode VII" information.



After lots of speculation, Abrams has deigned to reveal the stars of "Star Wars: Episode VII," and the line-up is pretty much exactly what we've been hearing for the past few months. As per StarWars.com, the cast newcomers will include John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow, with Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker returning.



Of course, the names being bandied about aren't exactly news to "Star Wars"-watchers. We've been hearing about "Girls" star Adam Driver snagging a "Star Wars" role since February, when Variety reported a rumor that the lanky actor was in negotiations to play a big baddie "in the vein of iconic 'Star Wars' villain Darth Vader." Sounds kinky. John Boyega beat out the other actors vying for the lead role of a young Jedi, which is pretty cool! If you sci-fi fans haven't seen him in "Attack the Block," you should rectify that ASAP. Believe it. Boyega is also in the upcoming adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel "Half of a Yellow Sun," with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, and Anika Noni Rose.



Oscar Isaac is new to the "Star Wars" game, but the buzz around the "Inside Llewyn Davis" star has been getting louder and louder for some time. Whether he'll be on the on the side of the Force or not has yet to be revealed. The only name bandied about that wasn't part of today's official announcement was Maisie Richardson-Sellers, who was rumored to be up for the role of a young woman related to Ben Kenobi. Of course, there's sure to be more "Star Wars" news to come.



Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill have been seen chilling in London. How convenient.



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Hot Docs 2014: 'Rich Hill' Review


rich hill, rich hill review, rich hill hot docs, rich hill doc



This year's Sundance Grand Jury award winner makes its way to Hot Docs, and it's one of those documentaries that lets the subjects do all the heavy lifting. Using the cinéma vérité observational style of filmmaking, "Rich Hill" is a powerful story about rural living in modern times.



Andrew, Harley and Appachey are three teenage boys trying to make their way through life in the small and relatively poor town of Rich Hill, Missouri. These young bucks are facing troubles beyond their years, with not a lot of support. Too young to strike out on their own, but too old to shirk responsibility, their stories are evidence that give credibility to a haunting version of the American Dream. "Rich Hill" doesn't provide any answers, but all the questions come from the real lives of its three subjects.



The most endearing character in this trio has to be 14-year-old Andrew. He's handsome, God-fearing, loves his parents, likes to play football, and even handles his sister with a certain amount of sibling grace. Andrew would be advancing nicely in another family, but he has what he has. His mother seems to be on some sort of permanent disability, and his old man can't seem to make ends meet. Andrew has plenty of excuses for the family's troubles but his resiliency is waning, due to his constant movement from home to home and never being able to put roots down.



Appachey is a troubled kid. At 13 he's working on his chain-smoking status. When he isn't sucking one of those back, his vocabulary is dirtier than his bedroom floor. Appachey's mom loves her boy, but she's at her wits end as a single mom to a gaggle of kids, running reckless in her humble home. Appachey entertains himself by breaking stuff under the local bridge and suffers from multiple mental problems: ADHD, bipolar disorder and a bad attitude to boot. Despite all of his difficulties, he is a magnetic character, and strangely engaging.



Finally, there's Harley. His mom is in jail for attempted murder, and Grandma is doing to her best to cope with a very angry young man. An alarming opening scene has him trying to buy an elaborate-looking hunting knife at the local sporting shop. In another chapter, he pals around with fellow Insane Clown Posse Juggalo friends, face paint and all. He speaks with the cadence of Napoleon Dynamite, but he isn't doing it for the laughs.



The irony of the film's title is not lost on the directors of "Rich Hill." Rich Hill is not a wealthy region, and that's especially true for these three kids. The Midwest hamlet is home to about 1400 people, including the families of the filmmaking cousins, Tracy Droz Tragos and Andrew Droz Palermo. The duo started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the film, and luckily for us, it was funded.



These boys are trying, but is the camera scrutinizing them? There is the potential to exploit their troubles by voyeuristically filming their lives. Watching their stories unfold, it's clear that the filmmakers are not belittling Harley, Appachey or Andrew. Instead, they're letting the viewer in on the social and economic realities that many face in everyday America. It would be unfair to label the trio as hopeless, except for the fact that Appachey's mother admits that she never had any hopes or dreams herself. Will the circle of life continue, or is there a glimmer of hope for this next generation? Rich Hill doesn't tackle why this is happening, but it's an unforgettable doc.



SCREENINGS:



Isabel Bader Theatre, Wed., Apr. 30, 4:00 p.m.

Hart House Theatre, Sun., May 4, 12:30 p.m.











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'Mean Girls' Cast: Where Are They Now? (PHOTOS)

Mean Girls Cast Today

Although "Mean Girls" is a mere 10 years old, it's such a pop culture staple it's as much of a classic as its older cinematic stepsister, "Heathers."



Let's count all the ways "Mean Girls" has enriched our lives since it hit theaters on April 30, 2004. We regularly tell our friends to "get in loser, we're going shopping." And when isn't "Boo, you whore?" an appropriate response? We've also enjoyed the unbeatable comedy team of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting the Golden Globes.



Sure, star Lindsay Lohan has been in the tabloid spotlight ever since, but what about the rest of the cast? Some went on to star in Oscar-nominated movies and Emmy-winning TV series, one is now a rom-com Queen Bee and one is ... a calligrapher?



Article photo courtesy Everett Collection



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Monday, April 28, 2014

A Couple Turned Their Home Into the 'Up' House, and the Neighbors Aren't Happy (VIDEO)

up house controversy

A California couple who repainted their Victorian home to look just like the one from the Pixar movie "Up" have delighted their children -- and have also unwittingly inspired some pretty cartoonish reactions from their neighbors.



NBC Bay Area reports that Hosam Haggog and Fatima Rahman spent two years remodeling their Santa Clara home, painstakingly recreating the colorful palette of the house owned -- and sailed -- by Carl Fredricksen in "Up." And while the couple have done an impressive job matching their real-life home to the computer-animated one, their neighbors are less than impressed, and have complained that the house no longer fits into the historic neighborhood's aesthetic.



One of those neighbors, Lou Faria, a member of the Old Quad Residents Association, had some especially curmudgeonly things to say about Haggog and Rahman's home.



"It really, in my opinion, is atrocious that this Victorian is a gracious old lady and it's being painted up to look like a clown," Faria told NBC.



Despite the controversy (and accusations from some neighbors), the couple say that they haven't broken any codes, and are happy with the way their home has been transformed -- and especially pleased with the joy it's brought their family and other children.



"[Our daughters] love the movie 'Up' and we just thought we'd give them something fun to be proud of and actually all the kids in the neighborhood really love the colors," Haggog said.



"We're not trying to create controversy," added Rahman. "We're trying to build a home for our daughters and our family. And that's what our intention was."



NBC reports that once renovations are complete, the mayor of Santa Clara has promised to throw a block party for the neighborhood. We're guessing there will be plenty of balloons -- and hopefully a change of heart for some neighbors.



[via: NBC Bay Area, h/t Cinema Blend]







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The New 'The Fault in Our Stars' Trailer Will Turn Your Eyes Into Waterfalls (VIDEO)

fault in our stars trailer

A new, extended trailer for "The Fault in Our Stars" gives us a closer glimpse at heroine Hazel (Shailene Woodley), a teen with cancer who's falling head over heels in love with her fellow support group member, August (Ansel Elgort), despite her better judgement.



Hazel rolls her eyes at her group leader's attempts to get her to engage about her diagnosis, instead finding herself drawn to August, who sucks on an unlit cigarette in a defiant gesture that he explains "never give(s) it the power to kill you." That's heady stuff for a teenager, and Hazel is immediately swept up in his unfiltered take on life, though she does try to push away his romantic advances.



"I'm a grenade," she protests.



"I know that love is just to shout into the void, and oblivion is inevitable," he says. "And I am in love with you."



August's grand speech is some not-so-subtle foreshadowing to the heartbreak that's no doubt waiting for both "Fault"'s protagonists and viewers alike. We'd recommend keeping a bunch of Kleenex handy.



"The Fault in Our Stars," based on the novel by John Green and co-starring Laura Dern, Nat Wolff, and Mike Birbiglia, hits theaters on June 6.







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Did the Latest 'Godzilla' Featurette Accidentally Reveal a New Monster? (VIDEO)

godzilla 2014 monster reveal

Though filmmakers behind the upcoming "Godzilla" reboot have been mum on the subject of the beast's new adversaries, it seems that they may have inadvertently revealed an extended look at one of the creature's foes in an unrelated promotional video.



The clip in question is a featurette about Godzilla's iconic roar, and how the classic sound effect has been faithfully recreated and updated for the new film. But at the :45 mark, as director Gareth Edwards discusses the roar, sitting in plain view behind him is a model of a mysterious creature.



Based on previous internet sleuthing about the character, who's already believed to have been revealed in the new "Godzilla" toy line, it seems that the creature behind Edwards is indeed the same one that makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in the movie's trailer. As for what exactly it is, there's been no word from filmmakers, though we can't help but wonder if this sudden reveal in the featurette was planned, since it seems like a pretty big piece of information to miss.



The model certainly looks cooler than its plastic counterpart. Let's hope it's equally impressive on the big screen.



"Godzilla" roars into theaters on May 16.







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Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford Spotted in London, Just in Time for 'Star Wars' Filming



mark hamill carrie fisher harrison ford london

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford's inevitable return to the "Star Wars" universe for "Episode VII" is one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood, and the trio of stars haven't been doing much to quell still-officially-unconfirmed rumors of a reunion between Luke, Leia, and Han.



The latest clue that they'll all be back for the upcoming first chapter of a new "Wars" trilogy is their not-so-coincidental simultaneous appearances in London recently (the site of shooting location Pinewood Studios), evidence of which has been trickling in through social media. British actor Peter Serafinowicz (who voiced Darth Maul in "The Phantom Menance") posted a photo of him posing with Hamill on Twitter; Fisher mused on the microblogging site about her dog being spotted in London without her; and a picture of Ford chatting with Air Ambulance pilots also made the rounds online.



Serafinowicz added the cheeky caption, "I wonder why he's here," to his photo with Hamill, and it seems both he and the rest of the world already know the answer. We're just hoping that Disney will end the charade and officially announce the stars' return -- and perhaps reveal a bit of their story lines -- soon. (Disney CEO Alan Horn promised as much last week.)



"Star Wars: Episode VII," directed by J.J. Abrams, has already started some preliminary shooting in London and Abu Dhabi. It's set to hit theaters on December 18, 2015.



[via Screen Rant]



Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images





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Steven Spielberg Is Directing Roald Dahl's Beloved 'The BFG'

steven spielberg the bfg raold dahl"The BFG" is the latest Roald Dahl book to get the big-screen treatment, and it's enlisted an impressive director: Steven Spielberg.



The Hollywood Reporter writes that Spielberg will take the reins of the project, about a young orphan girl who befriends the titular Big Friendly Giant. Studio DreamWorks has been trying to get a movie adaptation of Dahl's 1982 book (illustrated by Quentin Blake) off the ground since it first acquired the rights in 2011, with directors including John Madden and Chris Columbus attached at one time.



But now, according to THR, Spielberg is "officially committed" to the project, and wants to get it off the ground soon, aiming to start production in early 2015. It helps that "The BFG" has a stable of filmmakers with whom Spielberg has worked before, including longtime collaborator Frank Marshall, who is producing, and screenwriter Melissa Mathison, who also penned the screenplay for "E.T."



Spielberg has added a bunch of new films to his slate in recent months, signing on to helm an adaptation of the novel "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara," as well as an untitled Cold War project with star Tom Hanks. He may try to fit in one of those before he begins "The BFG," according to THR.



"The BFG" -- which will be live-action -- is expected to land in theaters sometime in 2016.



[via The Hollywood Reporter]





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'Grease Live' TV Special Heading to Air on Fox in 2015

grease musical fox tv"Grease" is the word over at Fox: The network just announced that it will air a live version of the hit musical sometime in 2015.



Taking a cue from NBC's successful live staging of "The Sound of Music" in December, Fox revealed Monday that it, too, is jumping into the live musical game, scooping up the production that made John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John household names. In a notable deviation from NBC's choice to adapt the Broadway version of "Music," not the more well-known movie version, Fox will stage the version of "Grease" presented in the hit 1978 film, which includes some songs not found in the 1971 stage production.



"From Broadway to film, and across generations, 'Grease' is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told -- and we can't wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event," said Shana C. Waterman, Senior Vice President of Event Series for FOX, in a statement. "Its iconic characters and addictive songs make it the perfect fit for FOX, and we're going to give it the kind of star power and production quality to make every Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie out there want to get up and sing along."



Paramount TV president Amy Powell said in a statement that Fox's reputation "for engaging audiences with bold storytelling and live musical format" -- through its hit series like "Glee" and "American Idol" -- made it a great fit for "Grease Live."



The production will air in a three-hour block on the network sometime during the 2015 TV season, and will feature an as-yet-unnamed "young ensemble cast." We're betting Fox will call on past and present performers from the above shows to fill out the "Grease Live" ranks.



In the meantime, we're going to dust off our Pink Lady jackets and practice the "Hand Jive."



[via HitFix]






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Chelsea Handler on Netflix? Host Is Close to Signing a Deal

chelsea handler netflixAfter making waves for publicly criticizing her soon-to-be-ex-employer, E!, Chelsea Handler may have already found herself a new home.



The New York Post reports that Handler is close to signing a deal with Netflix. But just what that deal would entail is unclear, since Handler is known for her late night talk show, and Netflix is more geared toward serialized shows (and currently premieres all of its new, original content -- like "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black" -- in one big, simultaneous batch).



"Handler has a deal with Netflix, but the format is to be decided," a source told the Post.



Whatever the streaming service has up its sleeve for the comedienne, Handler is clearly interested, since she hinted at a partnership with Netflix earlier this year, before she'd even officially announced she was leaving E!. During an appearance on the Howard Stern show, Handler told the host that she would consider moving to Netflix; in that same interview, she called E! "a sad, sad place to live," adding that the network "don't know what they're doing. They have no ideas. It's a failure."



Handler then confirmed late last month that she would depart the network -- and end her show, "Chelsea Lately" -- when her contract expires at the end of this year.



At the time of Handler's Stern appearance, Netflix denied that it was in talks with Handler. The streaming giant declined to comment on the Post's latest report.



Photo by Colin Young-Wolff /Invision/AP





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Here's the First Full Trailer for Damon Lindelof's 'The Leftovers' (VIDEO)

leftovers trailer

It's been ten years since "Lost" debuted on ABC and changed the landscape of the medium.



And, since the show's end in 2010, co-creator Damon Lindelof has dabbled in a number of projects: he's a producer on ABC's "Once Upon a Time," co-produced J.J. Abrams's two "Star Trek" movies (co-writing the second one), wrote the ambitious "Alien" quasi-prequel "Prometheus" for Ridley Scott and was one of the many cooks in the kitchen for Jon Favreau's "Cowboys & Aliens." But he has yet to create a follow-up TV series. Until now.



This summer, Lindelof brings Tom Perotta's best-selling and critically acclaimed novel "The Leftovers" to HBO for a ten-part series, with the first full trailer (below) airing last night right before "Game of Thrones" (and right alongside the equally-impressive trailer for Steven Soderbergh's Cinemax series "The Knick"). It looks pretty rapturous.



Set to the tune of James Blake's lovely electro-ballad "Retrograde," the clip starts with a mom getting into a car with her baby. Seconds later, the baby is gone. The trailer then cuts around to various people and their involvement in an event that most are describing as The Rapture -- when 2% of the world's population simply vanishes. "The Leftovers" is set some time after this event, following a group of characters in a small New York town, led by Justin Theroux's troubled police chief. Other members of the cast include Christopher Eccleston and Liv Tyler.



The show looks absolutely bonkers in all the right, Lindelofian ways (yes, that is some kind of weird cult that has developed since the Rapture), and full of the HBO hallmarks of hardcore sex and violence. Quite frankly, we can't wait.



"The Leftovers" premieres on June 29.



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Canadian Film Day: On April 29, Celebrate Canuck Movies


canadian film day, reel canada



Oh, Canada, our cinematic home and native land!



April 29, 2014 is National Canadian Film Day, a day for all Canadians to celebrate Canada through our nation's rich cinema history.



The day follows a month-long campaign to raise awareness of the achievements of Canadian filmmakers. It encourages Canadians across the country to rise above our national aversion to self-aggrandizement and actually watch a great Canadian film.



National Canadian Film Day is an initiative of Reel Canada, an organization that has put on over 800 festivals of Canadian films for over 200,000 high school students and new Canadians across the country since 2005.



To celebrate the day, Toronto's Royal Cinema movie theatre is putting on two separate showings on April 29:



"Highway 61" (7:00 p.m. ET)

Inspired by Bob Dylan's classic song and the fact that Highway 61 actually starts in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Bruce McDonald and Don McKellar combined forces to create this acclaimed rock 'n roll road movie. When naive barber Pokey Jones (McKellar) meets Jackie Bangs, a flamboyant roadie on the run, it doesn't take her long to persuade him to leave Thunder Bay for New Orleans. Jones finds himself taking not only Jackie, but also a frozen corpse he found in his backyard that she claims is her brother. In hot pursuit of the fleeing couple is Mr. Skin, a bizarre and deluded character who thinks of himself as the Devil. As the three travel south, sparks fly and romance blooms between Pokey and Jackie.



"Last Night" (9:15 p.m. ET)

As the year 2000 grew near, paranoia around "Y2K" was rampant. Don McKellar responded to the anxiety around potential computer meltdowns with "Last Night," a witty film that ended up receiving 13 Genie nominations and won Best Actress (Sandra Oh), Best Supporting Actor (Callum Keith Rennie) and the Jutra Award for Best Directorial Debut (Don McKellar). It also won the Prix de la jeunesse at the Cannes Film Festival.



As the film begins, the last day of 1999 has truly become the "last night." The apocalypse is here. Humanity will die at midnight. As rioting and looting begin to take place in Toronto, disparate groups of people prepare to meet their fate. A young architect (McKellar) plans to go out solo while his best friend (Rennie) attempts to have as many sexual conquests as possible. When the architect meets a stranded young woman (Oh) who can't find her husband (David Cronenberg), a strange and intense relationship quickly develops.



For more information visit the Canadian Film Day website or follow the organizaton on Twitter.







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The First Teaser for Steven Soderbergh's 'The Knick' Is Bloody Good (VIDEO)

the knick steven soderbergh

When director Steven Soderbergh ("Ocean's Eleven," "Magic Mike") announced that he fully intended on following through with his long-discussed retirement, film fanatics everywhere mourned, crying deeply into their Criterion Blu-ray box set of "Che" and wondering what would become of modern cinema.



But he hasn't exactly been resting on his laurels (if that were even possible) -- several of his older films have either been reissued in HD (like "King of the Hill") or are currently being worked on ("Kafka," finally), he's just directed an off-Broadway play in New York ("The Library," written by his frequent collaborator Scott Z. Burns) and, over on his website, he does continually weird stuff like re-editing "Psycho" and "Heaven's Gate."



But the biggest, most ambitious, and most hotly anticipated post-retirement Soderbergh joint is happening this summer: "The Knick," a limited-run Cinemax series that stars Clive Owen as a doctor working at the Knickerbocker Hospital in turn-of-the-century New York. And the first full teaser aired last night before "Game of Thrones," which we handily have for your viewing pleasure below.



The teaser features this weirdly dissonant music (no clue on who provides the score for the series, although you can bet it'll be one of Soderbergh's regulars) over flashes of super gross surgeries and unhygienic practices. "We live in a time of endless possibility," Owen narrates. And the series looks like one of endless possibilities too: this is going to be great.



While a premiere date has yet to be set, it's still supposed to be coming this summer. And we can't wait.



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